How to Become a Baker

About Baker

Baker is a person who creates baked goods such as bread, cookies, pies, cakes and pastries. He/she is also responsible for preparing and experimenting with dishes, baking foods, decorating cakes and measuring ingredients. Some of the major tasks performed by a baker are checking the qualify and quantity of ingredients, cleaning and maintaining baking equipment, supervising and training other workers, preparing a budget for supplies and purchases and decide on the quantities to be baked based on demand. There is a demand for bakers in factories, retail stores, restaurants and small bakeries. Besides this, a baker can also run his own bakery. 

Candidates who are interested in cooking and baking can pursue this career. They can also work as part-time at any bakery or a restaurant. Becoming a baker requires good creative skills. Those who are new to this profession can also enrol for any certification or diploma program in this field to get familiar with the industry. There are some colleges which might provide you with a training program. 

Eligibility to become Baker

Candidates should satisfy the minimum eligibility requirements stated below:

Education: The eligibility of a baker depends totally on the type of industry you are applying for. Companies hire bakers who have completed a master's degree or a bachelor's degree in related fields. Candidates who have completed a certification or diploma in relevant fields can also apply for this profile. 

Experience: Candidates who are looking for a job at a reputed organization should have around 2-3 years of experience. However, those who are new to the industry can join any start-up organization which demands 0 or 6 months of experience. They can also gain some experience by working part-time at any bakery. 

Skills: Some of the important skills which might help the baker to get a job easily are listed below. 

• Good time management 
• Interest in culinary art
• Excellent customer service and people skills
• Numeracy skills
• Creativity
• Presentation skills
• Teamwork and good communication
• Good scratch baking skills

Courses to become a Baker

You can check the table provided below to know all courses to become a Baker. The table also contains the average course fee of all these courses along with some well known Culinary Arts Colleges in India. You can apply for admission to these colleges provided below by filling our Common Application Form. 

Types of Job Roles Baker

Those who are interested in making a career in this field can apply for any of the profiles below. Some of the job roles are as follows:

• Head Baker
• Commis Baker
• Artisan Baker
• Kitchen Manager
• Chef
• Sous Chef
• Bread Baker
• Cake Baker and Decorator
• Wine Taster
• Executive Pastry Chef
• Pastry Chef (Baker Patissier)

Employment Opportunities for Baker

There are various employment opportunities one can find in this role. Some of the major sectors for employment are mentioned below:

• Large baked goods manufacturers
• Specialist bakeries
• Retail bakeries
• Hotels & Restaurants
• Canteens
• Caterers
• Fast food outlets
• Cruise liners
• Airlines caterers
• Institutional food service providers

Top Recruiting Agencies for Baker

Some of the major recruiting companies hiring bakers are

• Bikanerwala Foods
• Mahindra Holidays & Resorts India Ltd
• Cure Foods Private Limited
• Bakers Oven
• Defence bakery
• Kookie Jar
• Glen’s Bakehouse
• Old Madras Baking company
• Nik Bakers
• Theobroma
• Kayani Bakery

Employment Sector/Industry for Baker

Pay Scale/Salary of Baker

The annual salary of the baker depends on the skills and experience of the candidates. The average salary is given below:

Books & Study Material to Become Baker

Many books are available for those who are interested in becoming a professional baker. Some of the recommendations are listed below.

• Professional Cake Decorating by Toba M. Garrett
• Professional Baking by Wayne Gisslen
• The Advanced Art of Baking & Pastry by R. Andrew Chlebana
• Baking and Pastry by The Culinary Institute of America (CIA)
• Professional Bread Baking by Hans Welker
• The Advanced Professional Pastry Chef by Bo Friberg
• About Professional Baking by Gail D. Sokol
• Bread Baking by Daniel T. DiMuzio
• In the Hands of a Baker by The Culinary Institute of America (CIA)
• Pastry School by Le Cordon Bleu
• Professional cooking and baking by Mary Frey Ray 
• Professional Cake Baking and Decoration by Rebecca Sharp

Pros of becoming a Baker

• The local baker can easily gain popularity in the neighbourhood or locality by simply creating a product that makes a lot of people happy.
• You can show your talent by decorating cakes and showing creativity skills on other recipes
•  Baker’s job is perfect for those candidates who do not want to work for 8-9 hours. They can decide their work hours as per their convenience. 
• If you are interested in this job, you can start your own bakery. It doesn’t require any degree. 

Cons of becoming a Baker

• The profit margins are often relatively small.
• Sometimes you will have to deliver in a limited time which might result in compromising the creativity 
• It is difficult to strick to this profession for an advance career. 
• You will have to maintain all the equipment on a regular basis.